Adjustable mail box



` 4Dllau'h 26,1929. N. COHAN ADJUSTABLE MAIL Box Filed Feb. 24, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet l /4 Traa/ve March 26, 1929. N. COHAN ADJUSTABLE MAIL Box 2Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb. 24, 1927 Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED STATES `1NFJWILON COIIAN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

ADJUSTABLE MAIL BOX.

Application filed. February 24, 1927. Serial No. 1?O,486.

'"his inventionLrelates generally to Inail boxes for 'the purpose ofreceiving inail from. post-nien, and particularly to aispecial forni ofinail box adapted to occupyspace between the studdings of a walloi'u'ithin the air space of a wall. 1 l

The lirst object of this invention is to provide an exceedingly simpleand elicient lorin of mail box which can be put into place within a wallwhile being built, or can be introduced into a wall alter `it is built.

The second object to provide a special forinof receiving end 'for thebox which will. adapt itself for use with wood or plastic exteriorsthrough which it is able to penc- 'trate regardless of their thickness.

The third object is to provide a special `forni of bottoni for theoutlet end of the box which will cause the contents to be dischargedinto the rooin aslrapidly as introduced, as, ior instance, duringprolonged absence ott the owner.

The fourth object is to provide a special 'forni of closure for `theinlet openingl which will greatly facilitate `the introduction of inailby'inaking it possible to introduce ina il material with one hand byinerely pushing` saine against the closure.

The lilth object is to so construct the box that lits entire structurewill be lexible in the sense that it can be bent sulliciently to allow iintrculuction into the air space ot a wall tlnough an opening' which is'just large enough for the outlet portion of the box.

These objects are accoi'nplished in the inannerset forth in thefollowingspecilicatien as illustrated in `the accompanying drawings, inwhich: l l

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the de- 'vice in place in a wall withportions of the wall and the inail box broken away to disclose thepartsp Figure El is a vertical section through the outlet box with thedellector .in position for discharging inail into the room. Fiujure 3 isa vertical. section 'taken alongthe line 3 3 in Figure 1.v Figure Ll isavertical section through the inlet door and :inlet box. Figure 5 is a'vertical sec `tion showing` the box being started into the wall space.AIlligure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing' the box furtheradvanced into the wall space, but not showing the-box in section. Figure7 is a view similar to Figure dfshowing tbebox'alnost completely a lowerchute and an outlet box.

l Outlet oom.

The outlet box consists of the bottom 10 and sides 11 between which aresecured a back 12. Across the upper ends of the open sides of the box isattached an angular side `13 which pivotally joined to the sides 11 .bythe rivets Tll. Over the upper edge oi the back 12` is hinged a guard 15under whose lower edge is inserted a deflector plate 16 whose loweredgeis provided with a handle 17 and whose cornersare provided withnotches 18 which engagethe sides of the door casing 19 so that theforward edge 2() of the deflector 116 will project slightly over thedoor 21 which attached to the casing 19 by inea-ns of the hingesQ. Aspring latch 23 secured to the door 21, which also .carries a knob 241-to assist in operating the door. y

` llt is preferable to supply holes 25 in the sides 11 lor Ythe nails 2Gby means oitl which the outlet box is secured to the upright studs27,130 "which are secured the inner plastered walls 28 and the outerwalls 29, which may be of brick or tile facing, as indicated in Figure1, over the wood sheathing 30 or y perhaps lapped siding 81, asindicated in Figures 5 to 8 inclusive.

Lower citate.

The lower chute consists ol. the back 32, the front and sides The loweredgge of the back 32 is hinged to the back 12, and the ilront edge 33engages the upper edge 36 of the angular side 13. The sides 341areinside of the sides 11 and these incinbers over-lap at all times.`

U 7921er chate.

rlhe upper chute consists of the bach 37, front 38, the sides 39 and top10. The lower edge 410i the front 3811s hinged to the trent 33,andethesides 39 over-lap the inner sides .mil

of the members The sides 39 are provided with horizontal slots 42, theobject of which will be described later. The sides 39 are also providedwith perforations 43 through which nails may be driven into the4studdings 27.

Inlet 603m.

v The inlet box includes the lintegral to o 44 and sides 45 betweenwhose lower en s is pivotally attached by means of the rivets 46 n thebottom A47 whose edge 48 is downturned fio thereby forminga water shedfor the opening.

The weight of the door is so distributed y as to cause same to urge thedoor to a closed position, as shown in Figure 4, which action 'can beovercome by a slight push against the portion 55 which can beaccomplished by pressing the mail matter about to be deposited Vin thebox against the portion the door returningto its original position aslsoon as the mattei' has passed into the box.

To each side 45 is attached a nut 58 which passes partially through theside itself and a pin 59 passes through the nut, as indicated,'which isthen soldered into place making 4it impossible for the nut to becomedetached from the side 45, Screws 60 pass through the casingv 57 and thenuts 58. The casing 19 around the outlet opening is held in placebymeans of the screws 61, which `pass through the opening 62 in theVsides 11.

y the modification shown in Figure 8 the partsare identical with thosein the other igures, except 'that the hinge along the edge 41 isVomitted and the upper and lower chutes are integral.- In thismodification the floor 63 rof the inlet box is integral with the side 64of the chute and its turned up edge 65 holds the floor 63 in rigidrelation to t e chute. However, the box 66 being hinged on the rivets 67is capable of angular adjustn ment with relation to the side 64 toaccomrto modatethe device to various thicknesses of walls. The'type ofbox shown in Figure 8 is usable only for new constructions work, whereasthe type shown in the remaining tiguresis as easily introduced intoexisting buildings as it would be in the new.

yIn order to install this mail box it is necessary to collapse same bypushing the inlet box `as vfar as possible into the upper chute andafter having formed an opening 68 for the inlet box and an opening 69for the outlet box in their respective walls it is only necessary toslip the smaller inlet end upwardly through the hole 69, as shown inFigure 5, bending the chutes and outlet box with relation to each otheras required to secure a free passage into the air space of the walluntil they approach the position shown in Figure 7, after which theinlet box is pulled out until it penetrates the material 29 or 31sufliciently to permit the attachment of the casing 57. 'l'he outlet boxis now swung into position in the opening 69 and its door casing 19 isput into place.

By this construction it is possible to secure the maximum depth andthickness of mail boxes for a given depth of air space in a wall, and tomake it possible to penetrate a relatively thick outer wall withoutsacrificing the capacity of the mail chute itself.

It will also be noticed that in inserting this box into existing wallsthat it is not necessary to cut an opening any larger than can becovered by the casings which are to be used around such opening, makingit unnecessary to repair the walls before or after the box is installedand making it extremely easy for even the inexperienced mechanic toproperly install this device.

As above suggested, if a user of the box contemplates a prolongedabsence he merely opens the door 21 and pulls out the dellector plate16, as shown in Figure 2. This allows the postman to insert the mailinto the box as before, but prevents any acclnnulation of mail in thebox, with an accompanying opportunity for the unauthorized removal ofsame through the inlet opening.

By the use of the special type of inlet door described one of the mainobjections to ordinary mail boxes is overcome, inasmuch as only one handis required to easily insert a piece of mail of any suitable characterinto the box.

It will also be noted that the thickness of the walls does not affectthe use of the device since it readily adapts itself to varyingthicknesses of wall, and at all times leaves a free and smooth chutethrough which the mail can pass without injury or danger of stoppage.

Attention is drawn to my co-pending application Number 116,058, overwhich this device is an improvement.

I claim:

1. A Inail chute having an outlet box provided with a door at one sidethereof, the back of said box having a deflector plate slidably mountedtherein, said deflector plate being arranged to have its lower edgemoved forwardly for the purpose of ejectiner mail through said chuteoutwardly throng 1 said door.

2. A mail chute having an outlet box provided with a side opening, theeasing around said opening having a. door hinged to the lower Sidethereof, said door having u1 open top; a vguard hung from the top of theside opposite Said door; and :L deflector plate Slide-bly placed betweenthe ends of said boX having its upper end behind said guard and itslower end adapted to be moved away from the back of said boX toward thefront thereof and to overlap the hinge of said door 10 for the purposeof ejeeting mail passing downwardly into said box.

NEWTON COHAN.

